Monday, 25 October 2010

France’s Alstom has asked London’s High Court to grant an injunction to stop Eurostar from finalising a €600m ($838m) train order with Siemens, its German rival, claiming loss of the contract would be a “significant blow” to its reputation worldwide.Quelle réputation?

There he would be able to discover that the class 458 is, in fact, the fifth most reliable modern EMU fleet in Britain, on a par with the Siemens Desiros and superior to all but one Bombardier Electrostar fleet.

However, this is all down to SWT's Wimbledon Depot and fleet owner Porterbrook.

And whilst on the subject of the Golden Spanners Awards, perhaps I could take this opportunity to point out that seats are still available for the awards ceremony at a remarkably inexpensive... (that's enough blatant plugging. Ed)

UPDATE: This from the Man by the Photocopier...

The benevolent authorities who run the Budapest Metro have refused Alstom's new rolling stock for line M2, saying that the brakes don't meet Hungarian standards. No Type Licence, no 244m euros. Woe, woe and thrice woe!

Alstom says it may appeal.

These trains are in service in four other cities, and meet the toughest standards .... (cont'd p94).